


The Search for a Friend

by Steakinmyheart



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time
Genre: Action/Adventure, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-14
Updated: 2018-03-14
Packaged: 2019-03-31 06:05:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,722
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13968948
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Steakinmyheart/pseuds/Steakinmyheart
Summary: In which, after the events of Majora's Mask, the 10 year old Link sets out again on his quest to find his friend...





	1. Alone Again

“Well, it looks like it’s just us again, huh girl?” The horse whinnied as her green clad rider patted her head, scratching behind her ears in just the right spot. While they had only been together for a little less than a year, it felt like a lifetime to the young filly. She knew enough about the boy currently on her back to recognize the twinge of sorrow in his voice.

She wished she could help him. From their time together, she knew he had been forced to grow up very fast—too fast for a ten year old like himself. He always had very few friends and he hadn’t played with anyone except herself since he had gotten his sword and shield. She wished she could cheer him up. She knew how he longed for companionship—with someone who could actually talk to him. She knew that the green girl had left him as well as the pink girl and even her own friend Malon had left them together to travel alone. The tiny flying nagging one had even deserted her young master after what had seemed like a lifetime together!

This green clad boy atop her was her only friend in the world, and right now it seemed that she was his. She was rather ashamed she could not do more than obediently saunter forward through the forest. On several occasions her master had to leave her while he went on his adventures alone. She was afraid of stairs and couldn’t swim well, so this made it difficult for him to take her across any lakes or into any large towns. This made it very lonely for her poor blue-eyed boy, and she didn’t enjoy the separation anymore than he did.

            Recently, she had been taken away from her beloved master by a frightening skull kid in a forest far west of where they were now traveling. She had been so fearful when he had thrown her boy to the ground and when this new mischievous child had taken her and sold her. She was grateful for the food and stable she was provided by the girl who had bought her, but she was delighted when her brave rider had found and won her back. It seemed that these two were the only friend the other had.

            She must have slowed down while these thoughts ran through her mind because she now met with the blue eyes of her master and a lock of his blonde hair dangled onto her nose as he said, “You alright Epona? I guess we’ve traveled enough today if you need a rest and some food.” She was amused and surprised to see his face upside down looking at her, especially since he was standing on the new saddle he bought in the last town they passed to do so. Epona would have laughed if she could, but she nuzzled his face instead and he seemed to get her meaning because he began to laugh himself. He kissed her nose and sat back down in the saddle and began steering her in the direction of a stream.

 Her master often liked to sleep on the moss they found growing along the waters running through the forest. It reminded him of where he grew up she supposed. She had no objection to his sleeping arrangements and would lie next to him and he would rest on her as they slept. This was one of the few times Epona would see her master truly seem at peace. He seemed to have pleasant dreams for the most part and would often smile as he slept next to his beloved horse. This night however, would be different and sleep would be the last thing on his mind.

*****

After Epona had been unsaddled and went to get a drink, she wandered back to find her friend climbing a tree and searching the area; so far, nothing out of the ordinary. He climbed back down and brought her some leaves which he mixed with some moss and snake grass which she enjoyed. He fed it to her while he absentmindedly stared off into space. When she was finished and went to lie down against a grassy bed under a tree, she noticed her boy sitting by the water with his fishing pole, trying to get his own dinner. Epona would have shared her meal, but he had never seemed too interested in eating plants except the occasional carrot when he had them. He soon caught a few fish and cooked them over a small fire he made.

As he ate his dinner, Epona went and got a drink and wandered along the stream, occasionally trotting in the stream where it wasn’t quite as shallow so she could practice being in the water. She got in the water to the top of her black hooves, and then past her white hair which was in thick rings around her hooves. She let the white tip of her tail drag in the water, but as the water began to soak her black legs or her reddish-umber belly, she got nervous and would move to where is wasn’t so deep.

 As the sun began to set, she heard the song her master used to call her back to him. The song reminded her of her home on Lon-Lon Ranch in Hyrule. She had started to miss her boy, so she sped back towards him as fast as she could.

When it was time for sleep, he leaned against Epona and she rested her head in his lap. She fell asleep with him stroking her mane and humming to himself. It sounded like the Song of Healing which he had played several times when he was riding. She loved to hear him play on the ocarina, and she dreaded the day when he would give it back to the fair-haired girl who had given it to him a few months ago. She decided that, other than her own song, the Song of Storms was her favorite. How she loved to trot in puddles with her soggy master and watch the lightning fly across the sky. She dreamed that one day, she might run as fast as the lightning…

She woke with a start to the sound of her master drawing his sword. It was not light out yet and she couldn’t imagine they had been sleeping for long. “Who’s there?” her green knight asked of the darkness. “I heard your footsteps. I know you’re out there. Come out!” He lit a deku stick with some of the embers of the fire and waved it slowly, trying to pierce the heavy shadows. “Link? Link is that you?” a small, soft voice came from the night. Epona’s master dropped his sword and even by the fiery light of his torch, he was pale. He took a breath and wet his lips before parting them to say, “…Zelda?”


	2. Well Excuuuse Me, Princess

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Zelda has SOME EXPLAINING TO DO

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It was ridiculously amusing to write the banter of two 10yr old kids. I really want Link to just be a kid. Dx HE DESERVES TO HAVE A CHILDHOOD! Lol enjoy!

A sigh came from the shadows before a young, fair haired girl emerged. She gave Link a sad little smile and said, “Yeah, it’s me.”

“Wh-wh-what are you doing way out here?!” Epona had not seen her master this concerned for anyone since he had found her at the ranch where the skull kid had left her. What was this girl doing here? Had she come to retrieve her wondrous instrument from her dear master? Her ears went back, but she trusted Link and would let him handle this person.

Link remained motionless as Zelda carefully made her way towards him and his horse. She looked different than the last time he saw her. Not too much, but the fact that she wasn’t wearing her customary headdress or dress altered her appearance from the one he was used to.

 He looked dumbly as she bent down then stood and handed him his sword and smirked at him. “I’m not a ghost, Link. So you can stop looking at me like I came back from the dead.” She turned and sat by Epona and stroked her head and behind her ears, so Epona wasn’t upset with this girl’s presence any longer.

Link turned and faced them, but was still having trouble moving his feet forward. He managed to put his sword away and was just standing there staring at the girl. Now he took in her blonde, shoulder length hair let down with only a small, simple braid on one side of her head to give it something slightly interesting.

She wore a dress still, but it was not as elegant as her usual garb. It was plain pale pink with long sleeves and he was sure she was wearing leggings underneath and certainly not her fancy shoes which she wore at the castle. Though her steps were quiet, he figured she was wearing boots of some kind, though doubtfully as large and clunky in appearance as his. He shook his head as if to allow the thoughts to fly out his ears. Epona did this rather often, only she did it to keep flies away and she saw none around his head. “Uhh…sorry.”

Now Link became a shade of pink, to the very tips of his pointed ears, which made his skin match the color of the flames on the stick he was holding. He laughed weakly and sheathed his sword then raised his free hand to rub the back of his neck. “I’m just…so glad to see you again I guess,” he cleared his throat, “So, how are things back in Hyrule?” At the mention of her land, her brow furrowed. “Fine,” she replied and all trace of a smile faded from her young face.

“…So, no Gannondorf taking over then?” Link inquired hesitantly. She shook her head, “Nope. He’s still around, but there’s no way he will get a hold of any power.” Link let out a sigh of relief and walked over and stuck the deku stick in the ground before sitting down with his back against Epona’s flank. He turned to face the girl who would not meet his gaze now that he was sitting next to her, “Well, how are you then?” he asked presently. This time she just shrugged.

 Exasperated by her sullen muteness, Link let out a deep breath, slid down until only his head still rested on the warm body of his horse and situated himself until he was comfortable and turned away from the princess. As much as he wanted to catch up with his old friend, he wanted sleep. There was no point in making a stubborn princess speak if she didn’t want to when he had other things that he needed to do.

The princess stole a glance at the boy and began thinking of the past few weeks as she stared blankly at the back of Link’s head. She had her reasons for not wanting to talk about why she was there. There was neither heroic quest she needed to go on nor some great enemy she was fleeing. She simply was being a child who was sick of having the responsibilities of an adult. She just wanted to get away from it all for a while; to have a little freedom and time to just be a kid.

She didn’t search out Link, but she followed the stories grateful people described to her about a young hero who had helped them in various ways. She admired his continuous courage and had just wanted to watch him help people. Though she doubted she would ever find him, she continued to wander. So far her trip had been rather pleasant and she had even begun to forget about looking for Link. She just wanted to see as much of the world as she could before she had to return to the castle in Hyrule. She had not been completely senseless when she had run away; she had left the king a note apologizing and promising to return soon.

After a while of thinking like this, she was brought back to the present by Epona who had nudged the princess for ceasing to stroke her mane. Epona wished to go back to sleep more than Link, who had his eyes wide open and was also lost in thought looking at the sky, and someone stroking her always helped speed up the process. Zelda saw that his eyes were open and she watched the glow of the fire flicker on his shimmering blue eyes.

 She began to study his face; his nose was slightly upturned, but the arch of it was only barely curved. His cheeks still retained some roundness which only increased his fairy-like features. His eyebrows were thick and blonde and seemed to be permanently furrowed, even though the rest of his face was at ease. His bangs were thick and surprisingly well kempt. Her eyes rested on Link’s hat.

As long as she had known him, he had never once removed his hat. More than anything she wondered what he looked like without it. Was he bald underneath? Was the hat sewn to his head? She stifled a giggle as she pictured these ridiculous theories. She was truly curious however. “Link?” she finally got up the nerve to speak. “Hmm?”

“Why don’t you ever take off that hat?”

Link scoffed, “I do! What makes you think I don’t?”

She smiled sheepishly, “well, I’ve never seen you without it on. And from what I’m seeing, you sleep with it on.”     

He sat up and turned to face her, the side of his mouth now twisted up, “Well, I’d never seen you without your headdress on until tonight. But here,” he slid the hat off his head and held it out in his hand. “See? Just a normal head.”

She turned her head as she observed his thick, wavy, blonde hair that went down and curled up at the bottom of his neck. She leaned over and untangled his hair with her fingers. “You look nice without it.” She sat back and smiled at him. He returned her smile and replied with “Thanks. But what did you think it would look like? Did you think I was bald or something?” and he began to snicker as he pictured himself with just his bangs and then bald. Zelda joined in. This was what she had been searching for: a conversation with someone her age that didn’t involve death or saving the world, but just random silliness that popped into their minds—they were only a little more than ten, after all.

After Link’s giggling had subsided, he asked Zelda if she could help him put his hat back on. “I leave it on most of the time since it’s such a pain to put back on, see?” he explained. She took the hat from his hand and agreed after several minutes that it would be quite a challenge to put it back on by himself. “Well, Navi…she used to help me out a little…” he trailed off.

 He missed his dear fairy. He had never had one of his own before she had found him. She came to him and helped him when nobody else could. And then, when he finished the job, she left. He had to watch as his last connection to Saria and the rest of the Kokiri kids flew away. He wished so often that she would come back and help him once more.

 He had run into another fairy recently, which made him miss Navi even more. And likewise, when he had helped them, she left. Had they ever really cared about him? Was he even their friend or was he just a means to an end? He felt so used, it seemed like Epona was the only one he could really depend on—and that was only when it didn’t involve swimming or climbing stairs! He looked up and saw Zelda looking at him with some concern and a smile began to crawl across his face. Here was someone who cared. True, she had remained in the castle while he traveled, but now she was here. Finally someone to talk to with opposable thumbs!

Zelda put her hand on his shoulder. “I’m sure she misses you too. And I bet we’ll see her again.” He smiled at her doubtfully and said, “yeah, maybe…” then he stifled a yawn.


	3. What are You Waiting for

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zelda needs some real world experience and Epona wants to try her hoof at it too <3

When Link awoke in the morning, he found himself resting on top of Epona while Zelda was curled up with the horse’s head in her lap. He rolled off his horse and tiptoed to the stream to catch some breakfast. A while later Zelda woke to Epona sniffing her face. The heat from her breath felt nice on her cold nose, and she opened her eyes and patted the horse’s muzzle. She searched for Link and saw him standing in the deeper part of the stream with a fishing rod. She went to the part of the stream nearest her and knelt down to wash her face which smelled faintly like horse. Epona followed this pink girl to the water and she stood next to the princess and stooped down to get a drink.

Zelda looked up after drying her face with her sleeve to watch Link. She slowly walked over to the focused boy and observed his technique up close. Her sudden presence almost made him jump, but he managed to hide it everywhere but his eyes. “So…How’s the fishing working out for you?” The princess asked, swaying slightly on the spot. Link turned to her and studied her face. He couldn’t tell if she was teasing him or not. Royalty is so strange. He decided to answer honestly and see how that went. “Well, not as good as I hoped, but I’ve had worse luck.” He smiled and gestured to a small pile of fish behind him. “One or two more should do it.” The boy looked over to see what the swaying princess’s reaction was. He saw curiosity in her eyes. “Link?” He looked at the girl questioningly. “Yes princess?” She looked at him with something akin to excitement as she asked, “Can I try? I’ve never gone fishing before.” The green dressed boy looked shocked. “What!? Never gone fishing? Of course you can try. Come here and I’ll show you how to cast!” He urged her over and put her hands in the proper place on the fishing pole while he showed her how to cast and reel and how to tell when she had a bite.

            The little princess was so focused and determined to catch something Link couldn’t help but smile as he watched her attempts. She even wandered into the shallows a bit! Even Epona now admired her efforts. The young filly wandered over and stood beside the blonde girl in the water. Zelda smiled at the horse then gasped and squeaked she had something. Link rushed over and told her not to shout. “Just relax. Reel it in and pull the pole towards you at the same time.” He offered to help her but she ignored him and pulled and reeled as fast as she could. She slowly backed out of the water. Link grinned as he saw the girl successfully pull a fish from the water. “Link! I got one, Link! I caught it!” She smiled as she held the fishing line while the small fish flicked around in the air.

*****

Zelda felt quite proud of herself as she watched her little fish being cooked over a fire. Link had even showed her how to kill and clean the fish, but she just couldn’t hold the thing and cut into it; it was so slippery and gross! Link smirked at the princess’s excitement as he climbed around to get moss and grass Epona liked so they could all eat breakfast together.

            When the fish was cooked, the boy showed Zelda how to peel off the skin and how to avoid the little bones. As a princess she had definitely eaten fish before but never prepared it herself. When Zelda was happily picking at her fish, Link whistled for Epona and dumped the food he had collected for her in a heap. He made a face when he realized he didn’t have a carrot to give her, and made a note to look for some. Seeing that the girls were now tended to, the young hero plopped down on a comfortable patch of grass and grabbed a few fish and used his dagger to cut them and pull out the bones and he began to eat.

            After two small fish Zelda was quite content. Link picked up the bones she left over and buried them; he then proceeded to put all the leftover cooked fish in a sack, each wrapped in its own large leaf and shoved into his food pack. He tied the pack and put it on one of the saddle bags on Epona’s new saddle and whistled for her to come so he could put her blanket and saddle on again. “Wait. You’re leaving already? Where are you going now?” Zelda asked him as he was bent over the saddle. “Well, this forest doesn’t seem like it’s got anything special about it around here so I’m gonna keep moving and see what I see. Nobody needs me here.” Link shrugged as he hoisted the saddle onto his horse and fastened the belt. He looked in the dirt for something and Zelda was silent as he stooped and hunted for…whatever it was. In a moment he picked up a rock that was shaped something like an arrow and he spun it on a clear patch of dirt. He compared his compass to the direction the small end of the stone was pointed in and started walking with Epona in toe.

Zelda just stood where she had and watched them head off, unsure what to do. After a few feet Link turned around and saw she hadn’t moved from her spot. His brow furrowed, “Well what are you waiting for? An invitation to ride Epona? Your legs worked long enough to get this far, what’s stopping you now?” He chuckled and continued walking, gesturing for her to come with a wave of his hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really wanna continue with this, but admittedly I've got writers block for the moment. Hopefully I'll update soon though :3

**Author's Note:**

> Bam. Zelda. Lol. xD Hope y'all enjoyed!


End file.
